It's not desperation. It gives the Heat a viable bench that can play for 15 minutes a night, and it allows them to make moves that won't hamper their salary cap. Nothing is brewing except for the fact that the Big 3 aren't going anywhere, and they most likely never were.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Correction, <a href="https://twitter.com/SedanoESPN">@SedanoESPN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AminESPN">@AminESPN</a> , Heat lost because Spurs were clearly better, and didn't help 2 of Big3 played like role players & no D</p>— Michael Wallace (@WallaceNBA_ESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/WallaceNBA_ESPN/statuses/486243859626999810">July 7, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> And $20 mil for this guy! Bill Simmons: Best LeBron option? I don't know. Best basketball situation would be to go to another team. If he cares about his built relationships over the past 4 years, to walk away because they lost 3 straight finals games, that seems rash. He's in a tough spot. He loves playing basketball and wants the best chance to win. He probably came away from the Finals thinking he was on the Cavs again. Wade playing the way he did in the Finals had to put the fear of God in him. The biggest thing is, Miami probably thought they'd take less and we'll go get role players but the market for role players exploded. 1) More cap space. 2) This new CBA that is coming will raise cap space further. Avery Bradley's deal, which seems absurd, in 2 years might not be absurd. Wouldn't you tell Bosh, if you're Houston, this comes off the table at 5 on Tuesday afternoon? ... Bosh should go to the Rockets. Dwight down low, Bosh, Harden, Parsons, that team could go to the Finals. Miami - I don't know what I'm getting from Wade. I don't know how long LeBron is staying. What if he's on the 2005 Raptors there in 2 years? If I were LeBron, I go back to Cleveland. The full circle aspect. He can train Wiggins. He can run more. Something poetic about going back there. I can't trust the rest of my prime with Dwyane Wade.
LeBron $20 million (guesstimate) Wade $15 million (guesstimate) McRoberts $6.5 million Cole $2 million Napier $1 million Haslem $2 million (guesstimate) Granger $2 million That's $48.5 million with about $15 million left Nick Young $4 million Channing Frye $6 million Chris Andersen $1 million Jordan Crawford $2 million DeJuan Blair $2 million In this scenario Riley just used the money he would have signed Bosh back to build a semblance of a bench. McRoberts/Andersen Frye/Blair/Haslem LeBron/Granger Wade/Young/Crawford Cole/Napier
It looks a tad bleak if we really offered Box the max, given his probable preference for Miami. Hmmm... Where have I heard of this before. Super sidekick to league's best player, with championship rings, coming to Rockets not necessarily as first choice... NOOOOOO!
I don't think that's necessarily true. I think they've been trying to exhaust all the options that allow them to simply add a player without giving up anyone in return first (Melo, LeBron, Bosh). Now that it's evident that nobody wants to come here simply as a free agent, it's time to engage Minnesota and Boston in trade talks (a.k.a. The Chandler Parsons Negotiation).
Viable bench? Hornets can match? And what does he do well? Granger isn't worth that contract, did you see him last year?
Pretty sure Granger's 0 minutes after being moved to the Clippers confirmed that the dude is done. Surprised someone picked him up. Looks like Heat is staying consistent with signing has-beens & never-was-es
yeah, just a "coincidence" they signed 2 player to the MLE and BAE contracts at the same exact time...
That team sucks and it's probably not doable with Nick Young and Frye's contract at those numbers. Heck, Anderson and Blair might get paid more than that as well in this market.
Why couldn't it be? Everyone (including you and myself) knows those MLE and BAE figures by heart because that's what we immediately think but whose to say that they can't sign for those numbers without putting an "Exception" label on them?
I think Lebron already said he doesn't like this plan...he doesn't wanna play 40 plus mins a night. Otherwise they would have all opted in and taken their big checks and kept the MLEs and BAEs rolling year in and year out. They opted out legitimately hoping to sign real help (another difference maker like Lowry).
That's a very good point. I certainly hope I am wrong, but I feel like the Heat would not be making signing using their scant MLE and BAE funds without knowing LeBron would be approving of those deals -- and hence coming back. Again, I hope I am wrong.
I'm not saying this is so but if they end up over the cap, they use MLE and BAE money. If they are under the cap by losing a player, then they use the free cap space money. Same amount, different pockets.
Bosh costs money. Love costs money, players and picks. Love is a special player, but these decisions don't happen in a vacuum.